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Sunday, 30 September 2012

Its not all Post Apocalyptic madness here. I do like a bit of Sci-Fi fun too. You cant beat a few space ship battles or scraps over some remote station with pirates. Over the years I put together my own setting as I love to create my own factions. It is inspired by the Firefly/Serenity TV series/Movie but there is also salutes to the Freelancer computer game, Borderlands Computer game, Starship troopers, Alien(s), Red Dwarf and the Fullthrust/Stargrunt universe. There is some inspiration from the feel of the old 40K Rouge Trader universe too. I tend to steer clear from alien races other than bugs but I have included some Space Dwarves and Ratmen in my setting. I like the whole the bad guys are humans thing. Who knows as I get inspired I may add some one day. Enough of my rambling and on too the background fluff. I hope you enjoy it.

Humanity ventured into space and made a glistening empire with Earth as its centre. Many worlds were terraformed and at the height of humanities empire there was an estimated 200,000 settled worlds and colonies. There were millions of space stations and asteroid stations through out the Galaxy.

Earth was renamed Terra and its solar system was the most populated in the galaxy. Earth’s satellite was renamed Luna and became a massive place for Earth’s scientific communities to work and operate. Mercury had a special mining operation on it, Venus and Mars had been Terraformed. Mars became a massive military base for the empire. Venus was a sprawling mass of jungles and used as a holiday resort by those living in the Terra system. Mars’ moons, Titan, Pluto, Charon and many more places in the Solar system had bases on them. Every planet had a string of space stations. Several mining operations ran in the asteroid belt.

When the empire had reached 500 years old a terrible incident happened. Terra simply exploded. No one knows how or why. Some claim an alien attack or some experiment that went wrong caused the event.

The Terra system was devastated as each planet was subjected to meteor and storms which caused a great deal of devastation. Mars and Venus were worst damaged. Several space stations where destroyed and many more left as wrecks drifting in space.

Earth was the glue which held the empire together and it unravelled as many wars started as quests for power and control began. This lead to great destruction and countless billions lost their lives in the wars.

Today 100 Terra years on the galaxy is a wild and dangerous place filled with many small empires and many thousands of independent worlds and systems. In many places Corporations flourish without governing forces to interfere in their operations. They break deals and wage war on pirates, independent worlds and each other. Corporations like to asset strip worlds and are mistrusted.

At the rim, the Galaxy edge there is a much higher density of independent worlds, bases and moons. Worlds and stations range from tribal savagery through to high tech glittering gems of civilization. There are many places were no one rules and many smaller factions scratch a living scavenging and salvaging. Since the empires collapse Piracy is a very real danger.

Many worlds and stations through out the Galaxy where left in a state of devastation by the wars. Venus and Mars lie in ruins and are haunted by gangs of scavengers. A new Asteroid belt exists in Terra’s orbit, haunted by scavengers, treasure hunters and pirates. Luna was battered by Terra’s destruction and with out a world to anchor too it drifted out of the Solar system and its position is currently unknown. The other asteroid belt is currently controlled by pirates. Terra’s other bases have recovered slowly and live in constant conflict with each other for resources.

As the solar system of Mankind’s homeworld is now a solar bad lands littered with Pirates, scavengers and renegades the remains of the Terra Empire retreated to the worlds of Alpha Centauri system. They reformed the empire from the old one.

The Nu Terra Empire is one of the largest in the Galaxy today but is only a fraction of its original size. It rules some 40 systems close to the Terra System and makes it presence felt in many more near its borders. Despite all this they have real problems trying to inflict any sort of law and order on what was the Terra System. However they keep doggedly trying to keep control of the home system.

The Nu Terra Empire are looking for Earth’s lost satellite Luna and answers to what happened to Terra. They are also looking for a weapon or technology to give them the edge over other worlds so they can rise again to rule the Galaxy.

The temptation of changing scale after seeing all the 15mm eyecandy online over the last few years has been great. After much research the appeal of 15mm as a scale is really speaking to me than the last time I looked at it (about 10 years ago). There is as nearly as many lines and nice figures as 28's these days. For me the main attraction is space saving and cost (a gang in 15mm is the same price as a single 28mm miniature). My current 28mm terrain collection is huge and takes up so much space. My current 28mm skirmish table of 3 x 4 feet would happily support Platoon to Company sized battles in 15mm. A 2 x 2 foot board will be ample for skirmish gaming. Another attraction is a new scale to build terrain and models in. New challenges. The down side for me is vehicles. There are loads of Sci-Fi out there but very little in the way of toy cars in the scale to chop up to make ganger and post apoc fighting machines. It is very tempting to try to scratch build my own. When I looked at this scale back in the mists of time I scored a Laserburn vehicle and about 40 figures for £1.99. I found these and I am working my way through them. It has taken me the same amount of time to paint 18 x 15mm figures as it would to paint 2 to 3 28mm figures. So a time savings there. When painted I will be running a few games to see if I like it before I start collecting. Watch this space.....

Monday, 17 September 2012

Sunday, 16 September 2012

Another older piece from earlier this year. As Matt Black Gods world is a space colony it will probably have some sort of Atmospheric processing towers. The cool thing about this model is it works for Sci-Fi & Firefly style Offworld colonies too. This started life many years ago as a failed attempt to scratch build a Aliens style Drop Ship. The hull remained and it was bugging me laying about doing nothing so I made this...

A door was added from cereal card and a door way from scraps of foamboard. The data panel is from Blackcat bases. Other details where added.

Resin detailing from Ramshackle and some place on ebay.

Rear

Inlet side. Detailing by Ramshackle and Old Crow (15mm pipeline)

The top level

The upper platform. The moral of the story...dont chuck out your failed early attempts, years down the line you may be able to do something with them.

These are older builds by me, but I thought they where worth posting here. Some stalker style abandoned Industrial looking gubbins ideal for any post apoc wasteland or off world colony.

Members of the Freedom faction check the area out for stashes, loot or mutants.

Made from a qtip/cotton bud container, drinking straws, Yakult bottles, plastic bottle caps, plastic card, a electrical connector cap, old CDs and bits of a old model space station. The ladder is a plastruct item and the control panel came from Black Cat. Signs from my printer. I had fun making these and there are another two waiting for me to paint them (two years later!!)

The first building for my Post Apoc city - Liberty City is done. The idea is to have several defendable buildings which will enclosed off with walls and fences to form compounds within the city walls each controlled by a gang or faction. These will also work for my Sci-Fi Firefly style off world colonies too.

The open sided tower is due to a shortage of materials in the Wastelands. The truth is that this started life as a test piece for a new tunnel system I am planning. It was laying about so I put it to use. The tower needs ladders.....I must get a load made soon. :D

This side will be the outside of a compound.

I love collecting/making small stuff that adds detail and atmosphere to a table. In this case some new vending machines to my terrain set...

Get yer hedge trimmers out....the TRIFFIDS ARE COMING!These models where made from scratch for my Alien Plant invasion bit of my 80's British Post Apoc setting.

Made from plastic straws, cake candle holders, wire tie wraps for food bags, plastic bases and good old greenstuff putty! Simple, cheap n cheerful! Hmmm - I think I will have to do a tutorial at some point.

Saturday, 8 September 2012

These bandits roam the ruin and abandoned buildings attacking anyone who wont pay their "ransom". The ransom usually involves stripping the victims of everything they have including clothes. It is not known where they hole up. Seaforth, Scouse Land and West Vale have prices on their heads.

This is a street gang based in the old Anfield Stadium. They gathered there as protection during the end and soon found the pitch, stalls and roof handy for growing crops. Food is supplemented through hunting, raiding or trading salvage. They are at constant war with the Cultists who live across (and control) a nearby park.

The Seaforth Syndicate is based in the Seaforth freeport container base, Gladstone Dock, Alexandria Dock and the Coast Guard Radar Station & Nature Reserve just to the north of the Freeport.

The syndicate has its own electrical power and is protected by a fortress made from Shipping Containers. Due to the import and customs part of the port this faction has access to a lot of vehicles and other items that would not be available in the UK at the time of the apocalypse such as Muscle Cars and Unimogs. The syndicate produces armoured vehicles, buggies, bikes, ammunition, black powder, SMGs, muskets, flame throwers, pipe bombs and rockets. They trade these goods up river with Scouse Land and inland with West Vale for food. They will also trade with Scavengers, the Southport Salvage Crew and anyone else who has something they need.

Seaforth is under threat from the Altcar Protectorate who want it as a asset but they where driven off in the early days by the syndicates superior firepower.

These are the warriors that protect the rebuilders from raiders and Atlcar's unwanted attentions.

You can see Old One Ey (second Left front) and a ex army cadet Yeti next to him (far left front). Yeti is an excellent point man and scout. He was given a shot gun as its usually at close range when he gets into trouble.

This is a small group currently occupying the West Vale portion of Kirkby. The Brothers J arrive dwith "the Kid" in the early days and helped the survivors set up. The faction get by through farming and salvage in the rest of what was Kirkby. They also trade food quite a lot with Seaforth in exchange for ammunition and black powder.

The Brothers J are the Biker (PJ) and guy in Camo with the SLR in the centre of the shot.

The Brothers J also set up a special group of Scavengers come Scouts they call the Rangers (the two guys in gas masks and hoods in the left of the picture). The Rangers got their name from a group in some old fantasy novel which involved a lot of rings. They have special safe houses set up around the area and along the route to Seaforth. The Rangers bring in the salvage they find in the ruins.

The Brothers J

DJ was a member of a elite regiment when the end came. He was the only survivor of his unit. DJ headed north to his home town to look for surviving members of his family and freinds. During his adventures DJ found a 10 year old boy who he promised to take to safety once he checked out his old home. DJ found his younger brother PJ sheltering in his home using DJ's personal arsenal to deal with any nasties. PJ was a biker and knows how to survive thanks to his Brother DJ. He wields DJ's old Uzi and a black market pistol he kept for those moments when the local drugs dealer tried to rip him off. DJ has his old FN SLR service rifle and is a dead eye shot. He keeps a old Browning Hi Power for up close and personal use.

The Brothers took the "Kid" (Chris Macca) North to the West Vale Settlement and found a surviving cousin of the lad who looked after him. DJ and PJ have trained Chris and both feel he is good enough. DJ hopes he will one day rule the settlement. Chris is now 16 and is a keen Viral hunter.

DJ leads the West Vale defences with PJ as his Lieutenant. His military special forces training has helped this band of survivors no end.

I am currently working on a setting in my home city in a 1980s post apoc (as a break from my more Sci-Fi setting on Mattblackgod's world) with all manner of nasty plants ala Day of the triffids and crazy ex humans known as virals or crazies (think fallout ghouls or 28 days later rage virus guys).

In a earlier post I had just started building an alien jungle. Here are a few shots of the old Alien Jungle table so far....

It is a mix of plastic aquarium plants although some old 40K jungle plants and plants from toy sets have also found their way into the mix. The eagle eyed among you will spot some Mutant Plants from Ramshackle Games in there too. They make good carnivorous plants to cause adventurers problems. There are also several resin toadstools and fungi in the pictures. Some toad stools are also scratch made with scraps of modelling putty.

This terrain should have many uses as Alien planets for my Sci-Fi games and Venus in my Victorian Sci-Fi/Steampunk settings.

There is a few more CDs to come as I discovered a few bits with jungle terrain I built a few years back that will be spruced up with aquarium plants. The work continues....

This Raider is for my more Sci-Fi Post Apoc setting on Mattblackgod's world.

The mini is a Female Assassin Emli from the Heresy Minis fantasy range. I love this sculpt and most of the Heresy minis line. It may be fantasy but the clothes fits a Post Apoc Raider nicely and I love the smirk on her face.

After watching the movie Zardoz I would rather look at a chick dressed like this than Shaun Connery. I have just been checking out Heresy’s other fantasy minatures and I have spotted a few others I can use.

This figure is a little on the tall side but would fit nicely with Malfiaux Wyrd minis too.

Friday, 7 September 2012

Time for an oddball character for my 80's Brit Post Apoc setting. Introducing Professor "The Proff" McNut, who was a Scientist before the end.

This guy built his own anti viral and triffid suit which is a mix of armour plates, diving suit and other odds and ends (including lots of Duct Tape). The Proff claims it is Viral and Triffid proof although everyone else is skeptical.

He wanders the city with his museum looted WW2 era German MP40 taking samples. He operates out of the Seaforth rebuilders compound and was a great help to the faction in the early days of setting up. The Proff is trying to combat the things that have gripped the world and hopes to help humanity survive.

He dreams of clearing the old School of Tropical Medicine at the University of Virals so he can continue his work and research with better kit.

Trader is a trader in my 80's Brit Post Apoc setting...he thought is was an original name. Who knows, maybe before the apocalypse he has a shady past?

This lot run good between settlements. The rest of the crew act a labour and security. The guy with no shirt is Trader. He wont give you the shirt off his back cos he don't have one! Well they seem to think its funny.

Southport Salvage Crew operate from the "King's" compound in the centre of the town. They strip the local buildings for salvage and then trade it with the factions in what was left of the city to the South. Some salvage gets paid to the King as tribute. Its the only way to stop him from getting ugly...well uglier anyway.

The SSC often operate in hostile conditions fighting through the alien jungles that covers some buildings, seeing off Virals and Wild Dog packs. They also have trouble from the odd band of scavengers and other holed up survivors who object to them turning up removing their stuff.

This is my third 80's Brit Post Apoc faction built up from my minis collection.

Based in a old Victorian Hotel on the Southport seafront you can find Gothika. A small commune of surviving Goths have fled here. The hotel is fortified against all comers and well stocked from scavenging runs. The "King" of Southport is happy for them to be on his turf as long as they pay tribute to him in Salvaged materials. The packs of wild dogs that haunt the nearby streets also offers Hotel Gothika some protection from Viral and raiders.

This faction is a little low on numbers but will get suitable reinforcements when I add the 80's cold war British army figures to other factions.

The Second faction for my 80's Brit Post Apoc made from a minis pile raid.

Scavengers live in the ruins and derelict places looking for things to make life easier or for trade. Generally the treated with mistrust as they tend to be light fingered when visiting settlements and camps.

This bunch of scavengers wander around the area looking for salvage which they trade with the other groups around what remains of the city. It is not known where they hole up. They may be nomadic.

In true scavenger style they tote a mix of home made and old worn out weapons.

As I am heading into my Retro 80s Brit Post Apoc I have been digging through my minis piles in an attempt to cobble together some factions. I have been weeding out the Sci-Fi & ultra modern minis. In fact anything else that wont fit the period and kit available in the UK at that time (the Apocalypse happens in 1982)The First Faction.... Knights of Caernarfon

This lot holed up in the old Norman castle when things unwound (Caernarfon is a castle on the North Wales coast). They slowly have reclaimed the town upto the castle's outer walls. The faction survives through fishing, trade and piracy.

Behold Lord Caernarfon!!!

I can just see this guy hacking his way through hordes of Virals/Crazies (Humans who survived the Killer Virus but suffered brain damage that turned them into feral killing machines). A bit of history on this mini - he is inspired by the singer from Skindred. He wore this costume at Download 2011 and I thought it too cool not to copy. The mini is by Kallistra.